Lazy sales managers that don't care and CRMs

[Bill Simmons]

I feel your pain because I've had to deal with a similar situation in one of our stores. Since we both use the same CRM,Vinsolutions, let me share with you how I got there attention. If they are as bad as you say they are, they are more than likely not marking vehicles sold when delivered. And also not properly matching the DMS imports to the CRM records. Which means all of the automatic emails from your followup process are going out to customers that you have already sold a car to. Show them how silly it makes them look in the customers eyes when they send a "still in the market" or "what else can we do?" email to someone that took delivery weeks and months ago. If they care anything about the stores reputation or CSI, this should be an eye opener to them. Hope this helps.

 

[Jerry Thibeau]

I'd have Sean Stapleton call your owner.

 

[Bill Simmons]

I'd have Sean Stapleton call your owner.

That got their attention and it's fixed now. Sorry, should have been more clear on that. Was using that as an example and how it got fixed. Thanks Jerry.

 

[Mitch Gallant]

What would you do?

Honestly, I'd look in the mirror. You own that process from tip to tail and if you cry foul to the folks who can do something about it you require the posture of ownership and not of a victim.

Assert yourself with those who resist. Sell them. Close them. Earn their respect. LEAD THEM.

If you give that an honest try and they're still hiding from their responsibilities then you can take a case that will not only get your sr managers involved but will earn you respect.

Leave.

If that doesn't work then you work with and for a loser and you should leave.

 

[joe.pistell]

Honestly, I'd look in the mirror... Assert yourself with those who resist. Sell them. Close them. Earn their respect. LEAD THEM. If you give that an honest try and they're still hiding from their responsibilities ...

Mitch has a valid point to consider. Where do you work? Apple or BlockBuster?

Like BlockBuster?
If you're working in a business filled with weak, un-spirited behavior, then, the problem is bigger than you are (i.e. BlockBuster). . There is a BIG leadership problem and all your well-meaning selling will be seen as whining.


Like Apple?
But, If you're in a great organization and you're dealing with 1-2 weak managers, then by all means assert yourself, your message aligns with your leadership's mission (and they may already be under the microscope).

 

[sryan]

Mitch has a valid point to consider. Where do you work? Apple or BlockBuster?

Like BlockBuster?
If you're working in a business filled with weak, un-spirited behavior, then, the problem is bigger than you are (i.e. BlockBuster). . There is a BIG leadership problem and all your well-meaning selling will be seen as whining.


Like Apple?
But, If you're in a great organization and you're dealing with 1-2 weak managers, then by all means assert yourself, your message aligns with your leadership's mission (and they may already be under the microscope).

This is scary true. I'm viewed as a complainer here. I'm sorry it's not 1991 anymore and I am up to date with the modern day follow up skills.

 

[Tallcool1]

I don't mean to sound insensitive to your challenges, but for the time being you ARE the complainer. It isn't how you are viewed, it is how you are.

Ideas are a dime a dozen. We aren't paid for our ideas. Nobody cares about our ideas. We are paid for execution of ideas.

Anytime that I ever felt handcuffed by co-workers, I would always put myself in the owners shoes. I would ask myself what I would do about this if I were the owner. More often than not my answer was......fire ME. Our ability to interact with co-workers and help one another reach our potential is a big part of our existence.

 

[Mitch Gallant]

This is scary true. I'm viewed as a complainer here. I'm sorry it's not 1991 anymore and I am up to date with the modern day follow up skills.

@sryan It's all good and I say it with love. The fact that you know you're viewed as the complainer is good news. It means you're able to objectify and hopefully do something about it.

One of my favorite soap boxes if I may...

Get out a piece of paper and write INTENTION in the middle of it. This represents what you're trying to achieve and all the ass you're going to kick.

To the right write the word CHOICE, to the left write SITUATION.

The bottom of the page represents the victim loop and you can make a circle after choice that leads to situation with the following:

Ignore, Deny, Blame, Rationalize, Resist, Hide

The top represents the accountability loop:

Recognize, Own, Forgive, Self Examine, Learn, Take Action

When I say above that you need a posture of accountability I think of this model and mean you have a choice and you need to loop up instead of down, ending in action instead of hiding.

I know it's a soap box and it's WAYYYY easier said than done however if you attack the problem with blame what you're really doing is hiding. If there's anything this model has taught me is 1) sales people can rationalize almost ANYTHING and 2) I'm the KING of rationalizing. The best part is I can recognize as (potentially) victim behaviour and change it.

The only reason I share is because I feel your pain and hope this helps. The bottom line is you'll sell more cars and make exponentially more money if you take the accountability loop instead of the victim loop... and everything is funny with a pocket full of money!!

In case you don't do the work with the paper...

 

[DealerAdvocate]

As a dealership manager, I always felt that it was usually my failure to terminate someone so I am more likely to try and improve the situation before I consider advocating for termination. The "problem" that you are describing sounds to me like it may be the "symptom" of some of some other discontent. Your challenge will be to figure out if this is bad behavior by a good manager or just a bad manager. If you determine that they are a bad manager, then you would be wise to review your hiring/promotion practices so that this cycle does not continue. If you determine that it is just bad behavior, then you have to figure out what it is. There is a 95% likelihood (completely made up number) that their frustration is related directly to either their schedule, their pay plan, or both. One technique that has worked out for me to put in perspective to explain how important proper follow up is was to explain that, according to the NADA, every customer is worth $80,000 in gross profit to a dealership if they are able to retain all of their sales and service business over their entire lifetime. Sometimes this would allow them to see what was at stake with every interaction. Another is that I would have them sit down with the owner and myself and I would just have the owner tell the story of how they built the dealership, complete with all of the details. I wouldn't tell the owner why I was doing it and I wouldn't prompt the manager as to why they were sitting down. After it was over, I would explain to them that the trust placed in us by that person is a very serious thing and that it is incumbent upon us to give our best effort to cast the dealership in the best possible light with every customer at every opportunity.

 

[joe.pistell]

Brian,

This scenario has a subordinate trying to work with a poor manager.